A Christmas cracker in store today between two good footballing teams at a packed Easter Road.
I’m hoping and expecting that Ntcham starts, presumably at the expense of Armstrong. Sinclair will be lucky to hold onto his place too but I don’t think Rogic was at all impressive when he came on last week and I’d keep Sinclair in the team. Roberts’ injury is hurting us for attacking options.
Wouldn’t be surprised if Griffiths started, having missed two games now. Dembélé had a knock during the week and wasn’t playing particularly well. But I’d still lean towards Dembélition.
Gordon
Lustig Simunovic Boyata Tierney
McGregor Brown Ntcham
Forrest Dembélé Sinclair
This Édouard popularity of late is interesting. He was excellent last week - not just in his goals but in his general play. I’d assumed he was a guy we had for 12 months as cover and we weren’t going to keep him but the fact he’s now starting games and coming off the bench in Europe ahead of Griffiths suggests otherwise.
+1. Scored on his debut but that was back in early September ahead of the CL group opening game when Dembélé was injured and we were resting Griffiths.
There was a spell then when he wasn’t even making the bench so I had the same assumption as you. But the hat-trick last weekend and coming on against Anderlecht ahead of Griffiths suggests he’s getting comfortable with Celtic and the new environment.
Griffiths didn’t really do much or seem to try very hard in the two previous games against Hibs this season so I’m okay with leaving him out. He’s a bit of a headcase and being a Hibs supporter appears to affect him when playing against them.
I’ve been impressed with Ntcham again so far. McGinn has been lively for them - he’s playing more advanced than the other two midfielders and trying to disrupt Brown when Celtic have the ball. Celtic having a lot of possession and moving the ball around fairly sharply so far. I thought Tierney should have defended better for that Boyle effort.
Sky seemed to be picking out Edouard as the under performer but we haven’t really fed him properly and he’s been involved in some of our better moves. (And McGregor should have squared it to him early on of course).
I think we’ll get more chances as it goes on and if we continue to keep possession. They’ll get tired of following the ball around and there’s already signs of them getting frustrated in tracking us around the pitch.
Ah here this ref is murdering us. How is that not a free on McGregor? He gave them loads of decisions like that in the first half except when we played the ball.
Agreed. I think Edouard has been pretty handy but it was Crocker rather than the gimp on co-commentary who decided after around 20 minutes he hasn’t been involved enough and mentioned it a couple of times after that too.
Ridiculous non-award of a freekick to McGregor there.
Sinclair denied there. Whittaker has absolutely no pace any more , which makes it all the more baffling why Sinclair has so rarely tried to go by him on the outside.
It’s a good save in fairness and Sinclair didn’t really have time to settle because he was fending off the challenge but he didn’t seem to either dink it or hit it with conviction.
Whittaker is ridiculously slow alright. We should be exploiting that very easily through Sinclair and Tierney.
